For Life
by Eyes of Passion
Summary: In which Katsuya and Yuugi find a common ground and feelings are brought to light. Wishshipping with a dash of Ardentshipping.


Entrance exams, entrance exams – they were all that everybody was talking about these days. Even their teacher, after the lesson, decided to give them a whole speech about it. Katsuya sighed, leaning his chin on his palm, staring blankly at the teacher, who kept yapping on and on about how their last year of high school was just around the corner and how it was important for them to look into the universities that suited them best, everything that he had put little to no thought into. He didn't have enough money for tuition so he just resigned himself to working at the Kame Game Shop. Not like he had any problem with that. Katsuya's gaze landed on the back of Yuugi's head. He was perfectly content with working so close to his best friend. The only problem he had was keeping his feelings in check.

It wasn't until recently that he realized how he truly felt about his best friend and ever since, it was awkward to be around him. Katsuya noticed things about Yuugi that he hadn't really paid attention to before, like how his blue eyes changed color in the sun, turning into a mystifying shade of purple, or how much his body has changed over the years. Yuugi's arms used to be so slim, but now they were lithe, probably because he did a lot of the heavy lifting for Gramps around the Kame Game Shop. He grew a little taller, too, reaching just above Katsuya's chest.

There were moments when he'd feel the urge to hold Yuugi close, just feel his body, and hold on tight, but he'd resist the urge, knowing that that would be weird. There were also times when Yuugi would smile at him, his heart would beat like mad, and he'd wonder what that smile would taste like before he'd catch himself. This was his best friend, his _male_ best friend, and more than anything, he didn't want things to be weird between them. So he kept these urges under wraps, quickly tying them up whenever there were any signs that they'd show, an act that was becoming more and more difficult to keep up by the day.

 _Should I tell him?_ Katsuya asked himself. _Just to get it off my chest? Or should I keep my mouth shut?_

Katsuya was really in between a rock and a hard place on this one. If he told Yuugi, there was a high risk of getting rejected, and he didn't know if he could handle that. If he kept quiet, this would just keep eating away at him. Katsuya laid his head down on top of his desk. There was no way for him to win.

 _No,_ Katsuya rejected that idea. _It's enough that he's even in my life to begin with. More than enough._

Yuugi had changed his life for the better. Without him, Katsuya would still be no-good punk in Hirutani's gang, getting into fights for no good reason, and picking on the weak. He wouldn't have found the fun there was in playing Duel Monsters. He wouldn't have known what true loyalty or friendship was, and Katsuya would always be grateful to Yuugi for that. More than anything, he didn't want to screw up his relationship with him.

 _As long as I could be by his side, I don't care._ Katsuya thought. _I just don't want to lose him._

The bell rang, signaling the end of the period, and the beginning of lunch recess. Katsuya watched as Yuugi put his books into his bag (he was polite enough not to pack up early, unlike him) and slung his backpack over his shoulder, getting up from his seat. He headed towards him, pulling at the collar of his shirt, which was unbuttoned a bit, exposing his fair skin. Katsuya imagined himself kissing at his collarbone, licking off the sweat…

"The rainy season is really getting to you too, huh?" Yuugi asked him.

Katsuya sat up, his face hot. "Uh, yeah." He replied, lamely. "It's hot as hell in here."

"You could say that again," Honda approached them, holding his bag over his shoulder. "It sucks that the school can't even afford air conditioning. The fans just aren't cutting it."

Anzu walked over to them, clutching her bag underneath her arm as she tied her hair back into a ponytail. "We should go get some drinks to cool us down."

They headed to the vending machines, and they weren't the only ones. While they were waiting, Yuugi fanned him with a folder that he got out of his backpack. Katsuya smiled at him, gratefully, before he pulled his own folder out of his bag, giving Yuugi the same treatment. When it was their turn, Katsuya dug into his pocket. Empty. The other pocket. Empty too.

"Damn," he cursed. "Must've left my wallet at home."

"I got money to spare," Yuugi offered, taking enough yen for both of them out of his wallet. "What do you want?"

"A coke," Katsuya replied. "Thanks, I'll pay you back."

Yuugi put the yen into the machine and pressed the button for Coca-Cola. "You don't have to," he said, leaning over to pick up the drink. "Consider this my treat." He held the can out to him.

Katsuya took ahold of the cold can, his fingers brushing against Yuugi's. "Thank you," he said.

"No problem," Yuugi smiled.

With their drinks, they went back to the classroom, and rearranged the desks so that they could all sit together and eat.

"So, do you guys have any universities in mind?" Yuugi wondered.

"I'm hoping to get into Nihon Kogakuin College," Anzu said. "They have a great dance program that I want to get into."

"Don't you have to audition to get in?" Honda asked.

"Yeah," Anzu nodded. "My audition is going to be next year around June. I've actually started working on a routine. My ballet dance instructor is helping me out with it."

"It's great that you're already preparing for it," Yuugi complimented.

"Thanks," Anzu smiled.

"Where is Nihon Kogakuin College anyway?" Katsuya asked.

"You see, that's the only downside about it," Anzu frowned, sadly. "It's in Tokyo."

Katsuya's eyes went wide. "Whoa."

"Whoa is right," Honda agreed. "That's quite a ways from here."

"I mean, it's not like my getting in is a guarantee," Anzu pointed out. "I do have back-up universities that are closer to home."

"That's good," Yuugi said. "But you should know that we'll support you, no matter what."

"That's right," Honda agreed. "We're not exactly dance experts, but we'll be there for you every step of the way."

"For sure," Katsuya gave her a thumbs-up. "We believe in you, Anzu."

"Thanks, guy." Anzu smiled at them, gently. "I'm really lucky to have such good friends."

Friends – that was what she and Honda were to him, but Yuugi meant so much more than that.

"What about you, Honda?" Anzu asked, taking a sip of her water. "Are there any universities that you're interested in?"

"I'm aiming for the Domino Institute of Technology," Honda informed. "They have a good program for undergraduate engineering and besides that, I'd like to stick closer to home."

Katsuya didn't miss the goofy smile or the blush that overtook Honda's face before he looked away. He didn't know much about engineering or any of that stuff, but he could damn well read in between the lines. Honda had his eye on Katsuya's sister, Shizuka, for a couple of years. He agreed to back off until she was a little older and now that she was a little older…Katsuya frowned, annoyed. He didn't even want to think about it.

"I guess that means that I'll be stickin' closer to home too." Katsuya commented, glaring at the back of Honda's head.

"Come on, man." Honda urged. "I waited, like I said I would, and I can't wait anymore. She's so pretty and sweet. If I don't get to her now, some other guy will."

That was true. Honda did keep his word. It didn't mean that he had to like it though, Sure, Honda was a nice and trustworthy kind of guy, leagues better than any creep or jerk that could sweep her up, but he was still a guy. And guys had needs.

"Yeah, fine." Katsuya relented. "But if I find out that you pressured her into anything, you'll regret it. Badly."

"Whoa, man, you won't have to worry about that, all right?" Honda held up his hands. "You have my word." He put one hand over his chest, as if to make an oath. "I'll be nothing but a perfect gentleman."

Katsuya gave his shoulder a light shove. "You better be."

Anzu and Yuugi laughed.

"With that settled," Anzu began once her laughter subsided. "Are there any universities that you've been looking into, Jounouchi?"

Katsuya felt like he was put on the spot, like a teacher had asked him a question that he didn't have the answer to. "I haven't really looked into any, to be honest with ya." He replied, sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Me neither," Yuugi said.

This took him by surprise. Katsuya thought that he was the only one who didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Yuugi had sounded so sure when he brought the topic up; he just assumed that he had his future mapped out. Then again, Yuugi never really talked about the future. If anything, he was very much in the present, dealing with anything from tests to managing Gramps' game shop whenever something came up.

"I don't really have an idea of what I want to do with my life."

Yuugi's words resonated with him, and there was a comfort that came with them too. It meant that he wasn't alone in his uncertainty.

"I know what ya mean," Katsuya said. "I mean, I love dueling, but that doesn't exactly put food on the table, does it?"

"No, it doesn't." Yuugi agreed. "You can't make a career out of being a professional duelist. Sure, there are tournaments, but most of them aren't going to be as generous as Pegasus or Kaiba are in terms of prize money."

Katsuya mussed up his hair in frustration. "What a letdown," he groaned. "It'd be awesome if I could get some good cash from being a professional duelist."

"You'd have to be a professional duelist first," Honda remarked.

"Hey, don't knock on me." Katsuya retorted. "I've gotten so much better at dueling than I was when I first started. Like a gazillion times better."

"That's true," Yuugi chuckled. "Now that I think about it, we haven't dueled in a while." He unlatched the deck holder that was attached to his belt and held up his deck. "Are you up for it?"

 _Confidence looks so good on him_ , Katsuya mused. He caught himself before his thoughts could go any further, instead opting to reach into his bag for his deck.

"You bet I am," Katsuya grinned.

They proceeded to shuffle each other's decks, something that they both had done so many times before, in different situations, with different people. Dueling had been so different years before this with so much on the line, whether it be someone's soul or the fate of the entire world. There had been so much pressure to win, but now, all of that pressure was gone, and it was all about having fun.

"Let's duel!" They said once they got their decks back.

This attracted the attention of some of their classmates, who gathered around to spectate.

Katsuya was sure to put some thought into his moves before he made them. It reminded him of how careful he was around Yuugi, always keeping his touches limited, always putting some distance between them. This duel wasn't only challenging in a conventional way, but in an emotional way too. Katsuya tried not to look at Yuugi too long, looking over his cards with a contemplative expression whenever it was his turn, his lips pursed in thought. His eyes were drawn to his mouth, and he'd be filled with the desire to kiss him.

"Jounouchi?" Yuugi asked, startling him out of his thoughts. "Are you all right? You seem distracted."

"No. I mean, yes, I'm all right." Katsuya felt himself flush under Yuugi's gaze and held up his hand, hoping that that was enough to hide his face. "Just thinkin' over a move, dat's all."

"You comin' down with something, man?" Honda asked. "Your face is all red."

 _Yeah_ , Katsuya thought. _But I've had it for a while. I think this is what they call love sickness._

He tried his best to put that all aside, but his best wasn't enough, and that cost him the duel.

* * *

At the end of the school day, Anzu rushed off to dance class, and Honda went home to babysit his bratty, potty-mouthed nephew, which left him and Yuugi alone. It was awkward, something that he had been trying to avoid ever since he realized how he felt about his best friend weeks ago. There was just so much that he wanted to say that he couldn't and it was killing him to be stranded in this silence.

"Jounouchi?" Yuugi piped up.

"Uh!" He reacted like such a spaz. Again. "Yeah? What is it?"

"Would you like to sleep over?" Yuugi asked, fiddling with the straps of his backpack. "It's been a while since we've hung out – you know, just you and me – and there's something that I'd like to talk to you about."

 _Sounds serious,_ Katsuya thought, noticing that Yuugi seemed troubled.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, concerned. If there was a problem, he would do everything in his power to help.

"No, not at all," Yuugi answered, hastily, averting his gaze. "I just…want to spend time with you, that's all."

Katsuya wasn't convinced. He stood in front of Yuugi, placing his hands on his shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. "Is that really the truth?" He asked. "You know that you could tell me anything, right?"

"I know," Yuugi said.

Katsuya gave his shoulders a squeeze. "So, there's nothing wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong," Yuugi assured.

 _He looks okay,_ Katsuya surmised, although he was still suspicious.

"Really?" Katsuya asked.

Yuugi looked him straight in the eye. "Really."

"Okay," he said, deciding to drop it. "Good." He let go of Yuugi's shoulders. "That's good."

They fell into step beside each other again.

"Let's, uh, stop by my place." Katsuya suggested, rubbing the back of his neck. "I need to pack an overnight bag."

"Sure thing."

They reached the apartment complex where Katsuya lived and took the elevator to his floor.

As the elevator moved, Yuugi asked. "Is there anything bothering you, Jounouchi?"

Katsuya couldn't tell him. "No," he lied.

"Really?" Yuugi asked in disbelief. "You've been acting strange lately."

Katsuya didn't know what to say. He felt like he was backed up into a corner ad he had a feeling that he couldn't lie his way out of it.

"Did I do something wrong?" Yuugi asked after a moment.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong." Katsuya assured. Silence wasn't an option, and he couldn't deny that there was a problem. He had to say something. "I guess all this talk of future plans has been bothering me. Everyone has been talking about college and which one they're going to for whatever reason and I don't have that option. I don't have enough money for tuition and I have no idea what I want to do."

The elevator opened upon reaching his floor and they stepped out, making their way over to his apartment.

"I get that," Yuugi said. "I know that your family isn't that well off and working at the Game Shop doesn't really pay well, but there are always scholarships that you could apply for. I've actually been thinking about applying for one myself."

"Oh, yeah?" Katsuya's interest was piqued. They arrived at his apartment where he searched his bag for his key. "Where to?"

"Domino University – I don't know." Yuugi shrugged. "I figure I might as well since it's close. That way, I could stay at home and keep an eye on Grandpa."

"That makes sense."

Katsuya opened the door and made a beeline for his room, Yuugi following from close behind. It was a little embarrassing to have Yuugi see his room, which was a mess what with his clothes scattered all over the floor along with some CD cases and soda cans. "Uh, sorry about the mess." He apologized, easily able to maneuver his way past all of the obstacles, used to the uncleanliness.

"It's fine," Yuugi hung back, standing in the doorway.

Katsuya scrambled around to get his duffel bag and stuffed it with a pair of his pajamas, toothbrush, deodorant, and sleeping bag, feeling Yuugi's eyes on him, not wanting to keep him waiting for too long.

* * *

They entered the Kame Game Shop, the tiny bell ringing once they swung open the door. No one else was inside aside from Gramps, who stood behind the counter.

"Hey, Grandpa." Yuugi greeted with a smile.

"Ah, Yuugi, Katsuya." Gramps acknowledged with the same amount of warmth. "Welcome back."

"Another slow day?" Katsuya asked.

"Yeah," Gramps nodded. "It's not that unusual this time of year. I'm sure all of the kids are busy studying for their finals."

A jolt passed through him. That was something that he should be doing, yet another thing that he was putting off.

"Yeah, so, er, do you need help with anything, Gramps?" Katsuya asked, not wanting to dwell on the topic.

"No, thank you." Gramps smiled. "I've got everything taken care of. Go get settled in and let me know what you want for dinner."

"Okay," Yuugi said.

They went upstairs, Yuugi leading the way, and Katsuya's eyes were glued to his butt. Damn, Yuugi looked good in those pants. He looked good out of them too. Gym had showed him that.

Katsuya shook his head, hoping all of the pervy thoughts would just fly right out of his ears. He had to focus on something, anything else. Lucky for him, Yuugi was able to divert his attention towards what they were talking about before: the problem of getting into university.

They settled themselves in two chairs at Yuugi's desk and scoured the internet for possible scholarships and career options. Katsuya thought that this would be a tough conversation to have, but weirdly enough, it was pretty easy. He figured it was because Yuugi understood him, unlike his teachers and mom, who did nothing but nag his ear off about it. The fear and dread about the future was gone, replaced by the opportunities that Yuugi was presenting him with, ones that he didn't even know that he had. Any doubts that he had about passing entrances exams were met with understanding and encouragement. As Yuugi spoke to him, he felt a surge of invincibility come over him.

 _As long as I have you by my side, I feel like I could do anything._ Katsuya thought.

This talk and search lasted a few hours.

Katsuya stretched his arms towards the ceiling when his stomach growled.

Yuugi chuckled and proceeded to shut down his laptop. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Matsuya."

"Fried curry and rice, right?"

"Right," Katsuya smiled, touched that Yuugi remembered his favorite food.

He, Yuugi, and Gramps had their dinner in the living room, watching a Duel Monsters tournament playing on TV. They were all caught up in the action, commenting on the duel as they ate. He was really enjoying himself and he was glad that he decided to come over. This place was like a second home to him and he always had fun here.

After he ate, Gramps returned to work and he and Yuugi continued watching the tournament. Once the shop was closed, Gramps rejoined them, and they watched the tournament to the end, which lasted until midnight. They wished Gramps a good night before he retired to bed, then headed back up to Yuugi's room.

Katsuya retreated into the bathroom to get changed, not wanting to be in the same room as Yuugi when he took off his clothes. He wouldn't be able to tear his eyes off of him. In an attempt to rid himself of his scorching red face, he splashed some cold water onto his skin and dried it off with a nice, rough scrub. That way, on the off chance that Yuugi did notice, that would be the perfect excuse for having such a red face. It was a little trick that he picked up in gym class and it worked like a charm.

Although he couldn't help but ask himself: _How long will I be able to keep this up?_ He frowned at his reflection. _Yuugi is perceptive as hell. He knew that something was bugging me earlier and there's only so many excuses that I could come up with. He's gonna know what's up sooner or later._

Katsuya heaved a heavy sigh, then brushed his teeth. He knew that this was a conversation that they were going to have eventually, but he didn't want to have it now. He just wanted to enjoy what they had before everything changed.

Adorned in his pajamas, Katsuya put his dirty clothes and toothpaste into his duffel bag, dropping it just outside the bathroom. Yuugi was dressed in his pajamas too, seated at his desk, staring out the window. Katsuya took the seat next to him and looked outside at the streetlights that illuminated the roads and sidewalks for those that ventured into the night. He followed Yuugi's gaze upward to the dark sky that was dotted with some stars and wondered what he saw.

"I might have told you this before," Yuugi started. "But when I was putting the puzzle together, I made a wish. I wished for friends and this might sound silly, but I believe that the puzzle brought us together." He scratched at his cheek with his pointer finger. "If it wasn't for the puzzle, I don't think that I would've been able to be friends with you and Honda. I'll always be grateful to Atem for that."

Katsuya set a hand on his shoulder, and Yuugi turned to look at him. "I think that we woulda been friends regardless," he disagreed, fervently. "Give yourself more credit, Yuugi. You were the one that took a beating for us, weren't ya? You called us your friends even though we did nothing to deserve your friendship, and I can't speak for Honda, but that day, you made me realize that what I was doing was wrong. You made me want to change, to be someone that was worthy of your friendship. Since then, you have done so much for me. You gave me a star chip so that I could be in Pegasus' tournament and you gave me the prize money so that I could pay for my sister's operation. You supported me through that tournament and Battle City…you supported me through everything. You showed me what it really means to be a man and you make me want to be the best that I could be."

"Jounochi," Yuugi said his name with such tenderness and affection, he felt warmth spread through his chest. He brought his hand up to touch the one on his shoulder, his palm warm and sweaty. "You're always doing that," he smiled.

"Doing what?"

"You're always there to tell me not to get so down on myself, to pick me up whenever I'm down. You always believed in me when I didn't and that belief has gotten me through so much. You also taught me how to be brave and I…" Yuugi stopped short to exhale. "I'm going to put that bravery into effect now." He looked up at him, meeting his eye, his gaze determined yet afraid. "I'm in love with you, Jounouchi."

Those words stole his breath, came damn near close to stopping his heart.

Yuugi just told him that he was in love with him.

In love.

With him.

 _Is this really happening?_

"Sorry," Yuugi apologized, dejectedly. "I didn't meant to gross you out. I just thought that I'd tell you, but uh, just forget that I -"

Katsuya swooped down to catch Yuugi's open mouth in a kiss. He heard him gasp and felt him tense for a moment before he relaxed, reaching around his neck to hold him closer, his fingers weaving through his hair as they kissed. It was pure bliss, holding Yuugi, being held by him. Tasting curry, tasting him.

"You didn't gross me out at all," Katsuya breathed against his lips.

Yuugi laughed, breathlessly. "That's good to know."

They shared a chuckle.

"I actually thought that you'd be grossed out by me," Katsuya confessed. "I mean, I kinda kept checking you out and I didn't wanna be so obvious cuz I was afraid that you'd notice, so I tried my best to hold myself back."

"Is that why you've been acting so strange?"

"Pretty much."

Yuugi found his way onto his lap, straddling his waist, awakening his arousal, and held on tight. "I don't want you to hold back anymore." He kissed his neck. "I don't want to hold back anymore either."

"Yuugi," Katsuya said, his words resonating with him completely. He kissed him, hot and ardent, and lifted him up by his thighs, pushing the chair aside with his foot so that he could lay Yuugi onto the bed, deepening the kiss. Yuugi kissed him back, matching his passion and enthusiasm, his tongue lapping over his, his legs wrapping around his midsection.

Katsuya was on fire and he was throbbing with desire.

They shed their clothes so that nothing was in between them, skin on skin, and Katsuya never felt so good, giving pleasure to Yuugi, receiving pleasure from Yuugi, reaching the pinnacle of pleasure with him. Together, they laid underneath the covers and held onto each other, a situation that they would find themselves in countless times for the rest of their lives.

* * *

A/N: I finally got around to writing a Wishshipping story. Hooray!

Now, there are some real life places that I put in this story that I'd like to note here for anyone who's wondering. Nihon Kogakuin College is a real college in Japan, which offers a dance program, and as Anzu has said, is located in Tokyo. Matsuya is a Japanese fast food restaurant that I figured I'd use here since Katsuya's favorite food is fried curry and rice.

Thanks for reading and please drop a review! Also, look forward to more Wishshipping stories in the near future. So, until next time, take care!


End file.
